From the Sequoia Grove

Can you see me with my arms up? These trees are HUGE!

Last week, I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to travel to Yosemite National Park in California with my dad. All week we stood in awe of massive cliffs, the tallest waterfall in North America (and dozens of others), flowing streams, abundant wildlife, incredible rock formations, and enormous trees. Though all of it was breathtaking, there was something special about spending the day in the sequoia tree grove in the southern part of the park. Being in the presence of the sequoia trees triggered a deep and almost supernatural feeling of smallness and humility. For most of the day that we spent there, I couldn’t come up with words to adequately describe the way that being there made me feel. They inspired awe, wonder, and mystery.

As my dad and I spent more time in the forest and more time contemplating and discussing the trees, we began to see incredible spiritual truth pouring from these mysterious woodland giants. We discovered some facts and had observations of our own that all speak truth into the lives of believers. Here are a few of them that I hope you can benefit from:

Sequoia Trees…

-      Struggle the most for the first 2 years of life. The conditions must be right for them to grow. After a commitment to Christ, the first 2 years are often the hardest. New Christians should surround themselves with the right conditions in order to grow healthy. Sequoia roots grow rapidly and deeply into the earth in these first 2 years, so that they are not swept away by external forces.

-       Grow upward faster than any other tree until they are about 300 (human equivalent would be about 15 years old) and then they grow out, while still growing vertically. Christians must be perpetually growing upward, increasing in love for and knowledge of the Lord. Once they reach a stage of life where they have a firm enough foundation and enough strength, they begin to grow outward. Christians, when they are ready and have a firm foundation, must grow outward as well, toward other people.

-       Have roots that, though they are not overwhelmingly deep, spread overwhelmingly far underground. Their roots often spread up to 1 acre underground. This wide base is critical to their foundation. Christians must have a wide, firm base – one spreading out across a series of key foundational principles like prayer, scripture reading, being discipled, and discipling others.

-       Plant thousands of seeds every year. Most mature trees have about 11,000 cones on them at any given time, all containing thousands of seeds. Christians must also be planting seeds regularly. Speaking gospel truth into people’s lives daily.

-       Rely on fire and other methods of conflict for growth. Without fire, the trees would all die. Fire refines Christians. Struggles and trials refine our faith and character and are necessary for growth.

-   Grow faster as they get older. Once all of this has happened and they reach the later years of life, they do not stop growing. In fact, they begin to grow faster and wider than they ever have before. Mature believers should be growing faster and wider than ever as they get older.

Constantly be looking for God’s truth in nature and his creation. Hopefully these truths from the sequoia grove have helped you understand a little more about the Christian life. They have certainly helped me!